The Suffolk & Essex Border Walking Football League set to launch across Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe and Sudbury areas and allows for mixed gender sides

Invitations are being sent out across south Suffolk and north Essex to join a new mixed gender walking football league.

The Suffolk & Essex Border Walking Football League has just held its first General Meeting to decide upon its format, rules, and affiliation to the FA.

Derek Murr, the league’s acting chairman and promoter has said they have sufficient interest in getting an over-50s division off the ground when restrictions allow but are keen to hear from teams who would be able to play in O60s, O65s and O70s divisions.

The new league has been formed to cater for sides based within and around Colchester, Ipswich, Woodbridge, Clacton-on-Sea, Felixstowe and Sudbury. But Murr said he would still be interested to hear from sides in other locations.

The tournament venues are to be based within the same geographical area with clubs themselves able to nominate their own ground.

There will be no league entry fees when joining for the first season but there will be a player registration fee of £5 per player. Fixtures can be played at any time or day in the week.

The S&EBWFL is to be a ‘Fair Play’ league and intends to accommodate mixed-gender teams, play under the three-touch rule and expect zero contact between players with good sportsmanship and exemplary behaviour.

Murr said: “One of my objectives with this new league is that it becomes one of the UK’s most respected and friendliest walking football leagues.

“By the end of my tenure as chairman of the Essex Walking Football League I felt this had been achieved.

“The EWFL will be a hard act to follow!”

Another interested in joining with a side, or to seek further information, is asked to complete an expression of interest form via their website.

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